Originally Posted by e6bpilot

I actually agree with whack here. It is pretty monotonous flying with the exception of maybe the Hawaii stuff, which is its own special bid group in two bases.
If you have some itch to scratch that isn’t flying a 737 to fairly milquetoast destinations, this isn’t the place for you. What I am staying here for is very very simple. Number one, it is a fairly enjoyable job that allows me to spend the time at home that I need. Number two, I am here for the money. Plain and simple.
My days of flying big airplanes to cool overseas destinations are (thankfully) over. I did it while I was young and my body could flip it’s clock on a whim. I am happy to fly the same schedule to the same CONUS cities with the occasional near international overnight thrown in there to practice my gringo Spanish. I am spending whatever adventurous desires that I have on raising kids and traveling. Sometimes both of these things intersect.
If your ego cannot handle flying a 1960s Rube Goldberg airplane for a career, this ain’t the place for you because that’s what you are signing up for. I am happy with the company and my union, love my fellow pilots for the most part, and enjoy the job. My self fulfillment, however, comes on the 5th and the 20th in the form of a bank deposit, not from landing a 777 in Milan.

Originally Posted by Sluggo_63

I don't want you guys to take this as an insult, because, I really am not trying to disparage anyone's choices in life. But this is exactly why Southwest wouldn't work for me. I'm a big one for options. I tend to get bored after several years of doing something and like the change. I felt the same way about long haul international, so I was doing domestic flying... but then after almost a decade of that, I decided I wanted to try to international again. Guess what. It was great! I really enjoyed it. After several years of doing that, I decided to go move to one of our foreign domiciles. That was an adventure. Now I'm getting ready to move back to the US and go back to the long haul international. I guess the point I was trying to make is that if someone wants to fly to milquetoast destinations in the same time zone, almost every airline gives them that opportunity. But at other places you have the option to not do that if you want as well.

But, my buds at SWA enjoy it, and in the end, that's all that really matters.

Originally Posted by SlipKid

100% agreed that choices of flying, would be nice, but honestly, in the end it's a j.o.b.

I am all about time off at home, and want the least hassles and effort when I have to go to work, so I endeavor to fly to the most boring destinations possible, where I don't have to spend 3 of my 14 hour layover waiting for and sitting in a hotel van, I don't have to deal with customs, circadian shifts etc. I'll go on vacation to fun destinations.

Widebody pay, without having to work an extra week per month, would be nice though......

Originally Posted by cactusmike

Our wide body trips are very productive. One month I flew two 6 day trips for 89 hours. Not bad for 12 days work. Normally I will work 12 to 14 days a month for 85 to 92 hours. Our shortest trip in LAX on the 777 is 22+30 for 3 days. 787 is about the same, unless they throw a domestic trip in during the winter. Most F/Os I fly with were 737 or A320 captains. Life with a bunk is good.

AA is a crap show at the moment but it’s a transitory thing. A new contract will fix a lot of things. And we have debt because we have new jets. We are still making billions in profits. It should be more, and our product needs to improve but the paychecks will continue to come.

I appreciate the jumpseat rides you guys give me. And I know quite a few guys who went there in the 90s. But I’m a lot happier here than I would have been at SWA. Flying a 737 the rest of my career would not work for me. Everyone has their own preferences. What works for you is what makes you happy and satisfied.

Originally Posted by cactusmike

Our wide body trips are very productive. One month I flew two 6 day trips for 89 hours. Not bad for 12 days work. Normally I will work 12 to 14 days a month for 85 to 92 hours. Our shortest trip in LAX on the 777 is 22+30 for 3 days. 787 is about the same, unless they throw a domestic trip in during the winter. Most F/Os I fly with were 737 or A320 captains. Life with a bunk is good.

Originally Posted by Sluggo_63

I don't want you guys to take this as an insult, because, I really am not trying to disparage anyone's choices in life. But this is exactly why Southwest wouldn't work for me. I'm a big one for options. I tend to get bored after several years of doing something and like the change. I felt the same way about long haul international, so I was doing domestic flying... but then after almost a decade of that, I decided I wanted to try to international again. Guess what. It was great! I really enjoyed it. After several years of doing that, I decided to go move to one of our foreign domiciles. That was an adventure. Now I'm getting ready to move back to the US and go back to the long haul international. I guess the point I was trying to make is that if someone wants to fly to milquetoast destinations in the same time zone, almost every airline gives them that opportunity. But at other places you have the option to not do that if you want as well.



But, my buds at SWA enjoy it, and in the end, that's all that really matters.

Originally Posted by flyguy81

6 day trips? Gross. To each his own....

Originally Posted by El Peso

those are incredibly rare, and I can’t even find any in the packet in my base. Last one I saw had of course over 25+ hour layovers, and did MIA-BCN-JFK-LHR-MIA. Almost always it’s a 3 day, with a 28+ hour layover. There are some 4 days but that’s because the layover is 48+ hours.

Originally Posted by e6bpilot

Cheers (or Prost in your case), I think you and I agree completely. To each their own. Having a choice in carriers to have a career with is a very good thing.

Originally Posted by flyguy81

6 day trips? Gross. To each his own....